Apparatus and a method to verify safe positioning of osteotomy trajectory for zygomatic implant surgery

Abstract

An apparatus for verifying an osteotomy trajectory includes a straight rod portion extending along a first axis in a first direction, a sliding arm slidably coupled to the straight rod portion and configured to slide along a sliding direction on the straight rod portion along the first axis. The sliding arm may include a sliding portion slidably coupled to the straight rod portion to slide along the sliding direction, a pointing portion including a tip protruded along a second axis in a second direction, the second axis being at least substantially parallel to the first axis, and an extending portion having a first side attached to the sliding portion and a second side attached to the pointing portion. The apparatus further includes a fixed arm coupled to the straight rod portion and configured to mount a drill thereon to point the drill along the second axis toward the tip.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for verifying an osteotomy trajectory in a dental implant procedure, comprising:
 a straight rod portion extending along a first axis in a first direction; 
 a sliding arm slidably coupled to the straight rod portion and configured to slide along a sliding direction on the straight rod portion along the first axis without moving in a direction different from the sliding direction, the sliding arm comprising:
 a sliding portion slidably coupled to the straight rod portion to slide along the sliding direction; 
 a pointing portion consisting of a single tip protruded along a second axis in a second direction, the second axis being parallel to the first axis; and 
 an extending portion having a first side attached to the sliding portion and a second side attached to the pointing portion; and 
 
 a fixed arm coupled to the straight rod portion and configured to mount a drill thereon to align the drill to extend along the second axis with a tip of the drill facing toward the single tip of the pointing portion on the second axis. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sliding arm includes an opening through which the straight rod portion is slidably inserted to slidably couple to the sliding arm. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the opening of the sliding arm is non-circular, and
 wherein a shape of the opening of the sliding arm is substantially the same as a shape of a cross-section of the straight rod portion to prevent a rotation about the straight rod portion. 
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the shape of the opening of the sliding arm is one of a polygon shape, an elliptical shape, and a star shape. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , the straight rod portion includes a rail extending along the straight rod portion, and the sliding arm is slidably coupled on the rail to slide along the straight rod portion along the first axis. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fixed arm includes a recess to fixedly mount the drill therein. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the single tip of the pointing portion is configured to move along the second axis along with a movement of the sliding portion along the sliding direction. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein when the drill is mounted on the fixed arm, the drill is fixedly receivable by a slot prepared on a dental surgical site while pointing directly toward the single tip of the pointing portion along the second axis to verify the osteotomy trajectory. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the dental surgical site is for a zygomatic dental implant,
 a drill protrusion attached to the fixed arm to extend along the second axis with a tip of the drill protrusion facing toward the tip of the pointing portion on the second axis. 
 
     
     
       10. An apparatus for verifying an osteotomy trajectory in a dental implant procedure, comprising:
 a straight rod portion extending along a first axis in a first direction; and 
 a sliding arm slidably coupled to the straight rod portion and configured to slide along a sliding direction on the straight rod portion along the first axis without moving in a direction different from the sliding direction, the sliding arm comprising:
 a sliding portion slidably coupled to the straight rod portion to slide along the sliding direction, 
 a pointing portion consisting of a single tip protruded along a second axis in a second direction, the second axis being parallel to the first axis, and 
 an extending portion having a first side attached to the sliding portion and a second side attached to the pointing portion; 
 
 a fixed arm coupled to the straight rod portion; and 
 a drill protrusion attached to the fixed arm to extend along the second axis with a tip of the drill protrusion facing toward the simile tip of the pointing portion on the second axis. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the sliding arm includes an opening through which the straight rod portion is slidably inserted to slidably couple to the sliding arm. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the opening of the sliding arm is non-circular, and
 wherein a shape of the opening of the sliding arm is substantially the same as a shape of a cross-section of the straight rod portion to prevent a rotation about the straight rod portion. 
 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 10 , the straight rod portion includes a rail extending along the straight rod portion, and the sliding arm is slidably coupled on the rail to slide along the straight rod portion along the first axis. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the single tip of the pointing portion is configured to move along the second axis along with a movement of the sliding portion along the sliding direction. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein when the drill protrusion is fixedly receivable by a slot prepared on a dental surgical site while pointing directly toward the single tip of the pointing portion along the second axis to verify the osteotomy trajectory. 
     
     
       16. A method of verifying an osteotomy trajectory in a dental implant procedure using an osteotomy trajectory verification apparatus, comprising:
 providing the osteotomy trajectory verification apparatus, the osteotomy trajectory verification apparatus including:
 a straight rod portion extending along a first axis in a first direction; 
 a sliding arm slidably coupled to the straight rod portion and configured to slide along a sliding direction on the straight rod portion along the first axis without moving in a direction different from the sliding direction, the sliding arm comprising:
 a sliding portion slidably coupled to the straight rod portion to slide along the sliding direction, 
 a pointing portion consisting of a single tip protruded along a second axis in a second direction, the second axis being parallel to the first axis, and 
 an extending portion having a first side attached to the sliding portion and a second side attached to the pointing portion; and 
 
 a fixed arm coupled to the straight rod portion, wherein the fixed arm is configured to mount a drill thereon to align the drill to extend along the second axis with a tip of the drill facing toward the single tip of the pointing portion on the second axis and the drill is mounted at the fixed arm, or a drill protrusion is attached to the fixed arm to extend along the second axis with a tip of the drill protrusion facing toward the single tip of the pointing portion on the second axis; 
 
 inserting the drill or the drill protrusion into an opening of a slot planted on a portion of the oral cavity of the patient, wherein the opening of the slot guides the drill or the drill protrusion in a direction of the osteotomy trajectory; 
 sliding the sliding arm via the sliding portion along the sliding direction outside of the oral cavity to move the single tip of the pointing portion along the second axis; and 
 verifying the osteotomy trajectory based on the movement of the single tip of the pointing portion along the second axis. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 planting the slot fixedly at the portion of the oral cavity by attaching the slot to the portion of the oral cavity, the slot having the opening to guide the drill or the drill protrusion in the direction of the osteotomy trajectory, wherein the portion of the oral cavity is a site for an artificial tooth. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the verifying the osteotomy trajectory comprises:
 sliding the sliding arm toward the patient until the pointing portion comes in contact with a portion of the patient; 
 placing a mark on the portion of the patient where the pointing portion is in contact; and 
 verifying the osteotomy trajectory based on the mark. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the verifying the osteotomy trajectory comprises:
 determining the osteotomy trajectory based on the movement of the single tip of the pointing portion along the second axis; and 
 verifying that the osteotomy trajectory avoids a vital part of the patient. 
 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the drill or the drill protrusion is fixedly received by the slot while pointing directly toward the single tip of the pointing portion along the second axis.